Packaging-machine.



A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

AP PLIOATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

00 11 m NH 2 H T u 5 l m a P I I I l I L- Mam essaw A. W. LIVINGSTON. PACKAGING MACHINE. APPLIUATION FILED JULY25,1904.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUL'Y 25,1904.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

WWW l A. W. LIVINGSTON. PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

1,059,942., I Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Winessgs.

ww wn wa W W A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MAOHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1904

{1,059,942. Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WESSiQSI- I Jmygny A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 25,1904.

1,059,92, Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

ln mmmm A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1904.

LOWQAQ, Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET '7.

wmamsww- I w A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILED JULY25,1904.

1,059,942" Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETSSHEET 8.

A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 25,1904.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913';

15S HEETSSHEBT 9.

mtnessex- (2 2. $2 M- A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 10.

mm asses:-

A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25;1904.

1,059,942., Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 11.

A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1904.

Patentd Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 12.

Big. 52.

Witness es: Ina/"mafia A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1904

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 13.

Wmwes f Y M w m113m wwm;

A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1904.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SH.EETSSHEET 14.

zmmsm;

M anmar aifaz i A. W. LIVINGSTON.

PAGKAGING MACHINE.

- I APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1904. 1,059,942., I Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

15 SHEETS-SHEET 15.

0 '1 My I25 I v m 1 I49 UNHED STA'llFiiPATENT o tion.

ANDREW W. LIVINGSTON, 0F ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

PACKAGING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 25, 1904. Serial Nos-818,022.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANDREW W. LIVING- S'ION, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Packaging-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to packaging machines and particularly to machines for putting up dried fruits and like coarse and more or less adhesive and sticky substances,

into packages of uniform size and weight ready for shipment. Its object is to provide a practical machine of this character whereby the blank sheets are taken, folded and sealed to form the wrapper the fruit. put in and the end of the package sealed; and which machine shall have a large capacity and be automatic and continuous in operation, requiring no manual labor except the care of the machine and the supply of the required material to the machine.

It consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of my apparatus omitting certain parts. elevation from the opposite side omitting certain parts. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detail of the stop mechanism for plunger rod for moving the filled wrappers to the final end-folder. Fig. 4 is a rear end View of the machine, certain parts being omitted. Fig. 5 is a. plan view of one of the formers and link carrier. Fig. dis a side view of same. Fig. 7 is a section on line ma1 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8- is a side view of a plunger with part in section. F ig. 9 is a plan View of same. Figs. 10 and 11 show paper folded around a former. Fig. 12 is a plan view of a grip mechanism. Fig. 13 is a side View of same. Fig. 14 is an edge view of same. Fig. 15" is a front view of a lever and means to lift gluing roller. Fig. 16 is a plan view of same. Fig. 17 is a plan view of the gluing roller. Fig. 18 is a plan .view of a receptacle to contain glue or paste. Fig. 19 is a section on line NN of Fig. 18. Fig. 20 is a section on line ()0 of Fig. 18. Fig. 21 is a side view of a stationary roller to compress the edges of paper. Fig. 22 is an edge view of same. Fig. 23 is a section Fig. 2 is an on line of Fig. 24. Fig. 24 is a front view of a drum to keep pasted parts from separating. Figs. 25 and 26 are detail of -a cam to operate holders in the drum. Fig.

2? is a perspective view of a folding mecha: nism. Fig. 28 IS a perspective view of same showing opposite side. Fig. 29 is a perspective view of same showing movable posit on of plate or blade. Fig. 30 is a side viewpf a part of my apparatus not shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 31 isa plan view of carrier gulde to operate plungers. Fig. 32 is an end view of same. Fig. 33 is a side view of same with part in section. Fig. 34 is a side view of the feed wheel. 35 is a transverse section of same. Fig. 36 is a section on line LL of Fig. 35. Fig. 37 is a detail of a holderoperating in drum. Fig. 38 1s a perspective view of the mechanism to seal up packages. Fig-39 is a perspective view of same showing opposite side. Fig.

39 is a section showing finger on rubber plate. Figs. 40 and 41 are details of a holder operated by sealing mechanism of Figs. 38 and 39.

A represents a suitable frame-work supfor instance in Figs. 3-4.

Referring to Figs. 12-34, power is transmitted to the rear sprocket 'wheel to move the formers continuously from the main drive shaft 5 through the medium of the gear 6, the intermeshing gear 7 on the shaft 8 of the forward sprocket, and thence through bevel gearing 9 to horizontal shaft 10 and bevel gearing-ll on shaft 12 of the rear sprocket.

Carrier 4 consists of a series of conjoined links Figs. 5, 6 and 7 provided with the rollers 13 which run on suitable rigid tracks on the frame intermediate sprocket 2 and drum 3. Each link carries a casting or box 14 open on top and at both ends and in which a former 4 is removably held. The formers are open-ended hollow cylinders of shape and size to suit the package required and have a portion adjacent to one end open on top and suitably reinforced as at 15. They are adapted to be slipped into the boxes 14 and to have the tubular part about which travel.

2 v lbwit the wrapper is to be folded project out through and beyond an end of the boxes. The reinforcements 15 carr lugs IGengaging the inclined slots 17 in t e boxes whereby the formers are held against end shift and at the same time are permitted a limited oscillating movement about the lugs to allow the formers to adjust themselves to the various pressures to whichthey are subjected in their transit. The 'relnforces carry at each end the rollers 18 which run on the uide tracks 19 to prevent the formers fallmg out of the boxes in passing around the sprockets and along their lower plane of By removing a section of track 19, any of the formers may be quickly taken out of or replacedin boxes 14. The formers are each prdvided with a plunger 20-(Figs. 8 and 9) which is reciprocal across the open- 20 ing in the top of the former to compress the fruit and to expel the fruitand envelop from the former as to be described herein after. The plunger-s have each a stem '21 carrying a roller 22 running in suitable guides in the frame to hold the plunger in proper position at various stages in its transit, and the nature of-these guides and the means for reciprocating the plungers will also be described later.

It is assumed for convenience that the drum 3 is at the head of the machine and that the carrier 4 travels from beneath around this drum in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2.

The sheets of paper from which the wrappers are formed are fed successively and singly to the formers by any suitable means at a point underneath the machine as indicated by the guard plate 23 Fig. 2. The sheets which are first printed or otherwise embell ished with such advertising matter as may be borne by the finished package, are, folded as shown in dotted lines Fig. 10 previously to being placed on the former, so that each sheet may rest on top of a former with two parts hanging down on each side of and beneath the former, and a portion projecting past the end of the former suflicient to be folded over and form the end of the package.

' Being thus folded about three sides of and overhanging the end of the former, the pendent edges of the sheet are folded up against the underside of the former pasted and dried by the following means: Having reference to Figs. 2, 12, 13 and 14. 24 is a rotatable support mounted fast on a shaft 25 and carrying grip mechanisms pendent "in the path of the formers and adapted to engage the former on four sides and grip the sheet. 6 These grip mechanisms each consist of two cooperating arms 2627 pivoted radially of support 24 as at 28 and standing approximately at right angles to each other and having each a limited oscillating movement relative to one another. The horizontal arm 26 -has a curved pin 29 disposed in an arc whose center is the center of pin 28 and is slidable in a bracket 30 on vertical arm 27. The end of pin 29 is headed and a spring 31 tends to press the two arms together. The upper horizontal arm 26 is approximately of the same length as the width of the former, while arm 27 is approximately equal to the narrower dimension of the former.

The arm 27 has an adjustable extensible spring-pressed part 32 and the latter and the end of arm 26 carry on inwardly extended portions the respective rollers 3334. The grippers are hung radially of the support 24 and are so spaced and the grip members are so balanced and so guided in the revolution of the support by means as 34 that each former as it comes along with a sheetin position will contact with rollers 33-34: one on the rear vertical side of the former, the other hooking over the upper front'corner of the former as shown in Fig. 13. The support '24 is held against turning backward by a pawl 34 and a pinion 34*.

As a former passes under the support 24 the arms 2627 are separated and the rear roller 33 is crowded down until it engages underneath the former as shown in the same figure. This leaves the sheet with the front edge hanging straight and the rear edge folded up against the bottom of the former, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 11. Subsequent to the gripping thus of the sheet about i the four sides of the former an arm 35 Figs. 2, 15 and 17 carrying a paste roller 36 and having a movement relativel; faster than the carrier 4, is thrown up from behind to deposit a line of paste along the lower inner edge of the pendent side of the sheet.

Roller 36 normally rests on the distributing roller 37 (Fig. 2) which is'suitably journaled in a receptacle 38 containing adhesive as glue or paste. This paste-box contains a second distributing roller 39 and an agitator 40. Figs. 18, 19, 20. Roller 36 normally rests by gravity on roller 39 and the latter and its agitator 40 are driven constantly through the medium of a chain 41, Fig. 2, passing around a sprocket 42 on the shaft of roller 39 and a sprocket 43 on shaft 44 journaled in frame A. Shaft 44- (Fig. 1) is driven from shaft 8 by means of a gear 45 on the latter engaging a gear 46 on a countershaft 47 which. carries also a large gear 48 engaging a gear 49 on shaft 4 4. The arm 35 carrying the gluing roller 36 is pivoted to a fixed part of the frame and is lifted periodically by means of a cam 50 (Figs. 2 and ,15) on' shaft 44 engaging a lever 51 fulcrumed intermediate of its ends 125 and connecting with arm 35 by an adjustable link 52.

Immediately after roller 36 has applied paste to the edge of the sheet carried by the former cylinder a roller 53 is encountered which folds up this pasted edge against the already folded complementary edge of the sheet and a succeeding heating roller 53 irons the seam and the heat of the roller dries the paste as the former passes over it. Thus the sheet is foldedcompletely about the four sides of the former and pasted.

The next step is that of folding the end of the sheet over the end of the former. This is done by mechanism indicated col.- lectively by B Figsl and 3 and shown in detail in liigs. 27, '38 and 2%). During this folding operation the plungcrs 20 are intruded into the formers to bring their ends flush with the outside edges of the formers to give a solid support for the end folding and ironing of the sheet. This intrusion of the plunger-s is effected by the parallel guides 54 Fig. 3 between which the rollers 22 run. As the formers wit-h their sheets folded and pasted along their longer edges pass around the front of the machine suitable means is provided to keep the pasted parts from separating in case the paste may not have fully dried. I have here shown a drum 55 coaxial and turnable with drum 3 and having a plurality of peripheral pockets 56 correspondingly spaced with the spaces between the formers. These pockets are bridged over each by a fixed plate as 57 which offers a support for the under side of the formers and for the folded sheets in their passage around the front end of the machine. .A space is left between the edges of the plates 57 and the walls of their respective pockets for the operation of the holders 58 which reciprocate in the several pockets. These holders consist each of a more or less U shape member whose arms are adapted by reason of the engagement of a roller 5!) on a stem on the holder with a cam groove 60 to be obtruded to embrace the two sides of a former as it comes squarely upon a plate 57 and to be retracted before the former leaves a plate.

The end folding mechanism previously referred to collectively as B is as follows, having reference particularly to Figs. 27, 28, 29 and 30: 61 is an arm fulerumed on shaft 8 and weighted as at 61 and having an arc of movement essentially parallel to that described by the formers during a portion of their travel. This arm normally tilts forward at an angle of approximately 60 from the horizontal, its downward movement being limited by a rubber buffer 62. As a! former comes along its upper front edge engages a roller 63 carried by an arm fulcrumed on arm 61. This causes the arm 61 with its associated folding mechanism to move in unison with the former. A bell crank lever 64, fulcrumed on arm 61, with its pivot at right angles to the length of arm 61 and parallel with the plane of movement of arm 61, carries a roller 65 at one end by which the top edge of the projecting sheet is folded down over the end of the former. The radial movement of roller 65 is effected by the opposite roller-bearing end of lever 64 which normally runs on a segmental guide 66, encountering an abruptly inclined hinged guide 67 fulcrumed in the path of the end of the lever and continuous in one direction with guide 66. The contactwith this hinged guide 67 tips up the outer end of lever 64 and consequently gives the roller 65 a rapid downward radial movement to fold the upper edge of the sheet. As soon as the lever rides over guide 67 it drops back again on to guide 66 causing the lifting and retraction of the folding roller 65 out of the way of the side-folding mech-. anism which must next operate. 68 is a plate or blade fixed to a rock shaft 69 fulcrumed on the end of arm 61. This plate has a limited movement across the front side edge of the former to turn in that edge of the sheet. It is normally retracted out of interference with the formers by means of a spring 70. The oscillation of plate 68 to fold the sheet is effected by the engagement of a part 71 rigid with and eccentric to shaft 69, with a hinged stop 72. As the plate is brought into vertical position over a portion of the end of the former sufiiciently to fold the front edge of the sheet, a notched keeper 73 pivoted on arm 61 engages a pin 74 on the blade to hold it against the tension of spring 70. An end of keeper 73 rest-s on roller 63 when in position shown in Fig. 29 so that when this roller is lifted from engagement with the former, the keeper is tilted to free plate 68 and allow spring 70 to act. The length of plate 68 is such as to cause the plate in its movement to crease the side end fold of the paper close to the bottom edge of the former so that in the subsequent tip-folding of the bottom edge of the sheet a smooth close fold will result. As a former approaches its upper horizontal plane of movement, still engaging roller 63 to carry arm 61 with it, the front edge of the sheet on the former engages an outwardl y curved stationary guide 75 (Fig. 30) which gradually folds in that edge of the sheet toward the part already folded by plate 68. \Vith both side edges of the end of the sheet safe within guide 75, the roller 63 runs upon an upwardly inclined part- 76, lifting keeper 73 to free plate 68 and disengaging the roller from the former and allowing the arm 61 to fall by gravity back to its original position where the succeeding former engages the roller 63 and the same operation is repeated. By interposing the hinged guide 67, the arm 64 rides freely under it on the return of arm 61 so that roller 65 will not be obtruded to hit or interfere with any of the other parts of .the machine; As arm 61 partakes during its of arm 61.

The former with three edges of the end of the sheet folded in, carries the lower horizontal edge of the sheet successively upon a curved horizontal guide plate 79, Fig. 30, beneath a paste brush 80 and upon an inclined guide 81 disposed in a vertical plane, which complete the end closure of the package. The brush 80 is fed with adhesive from the pct 82 and is adapted to apply just a small quantity of paste to the edge of the paper. The folded end of the sheet is then carried by the further movement of the former against a hot ironing plate 83 by which the paste is thoroughly dried. During all this end folding process the plungers 20 have had their ends held in approximately the same plane with the ends of the formers so that a solid supportto fold against has been afforded. During the moment that the end of the former is passing the ironing plate 83, the plunger is given an extra inward push by means of the .inset in guides 54 indicated at 54 to press the end of the wrapper snug against the ironer.

lVith the wrapper now folded and sealed on the four sides and one end, it is ready to receive its charge of material. It is first necessary however to'retraet the plungers and as it is to be remembered that the machine is a continuous movement machine, the reciprocation of the plungers either to retract them to allow the formers and wrappers to be filled, or to be pushed in to compress the fruit and finally to expel the fruit and wrapper, must be done while the carrier 4 and formers are in motion. The reciprocation of the plungers is accomplishedby a series of transversely reciprocating successively operating carrier guide sections or carrier guides. as they may be termed designated as 848586-87. Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 1 shaft 44 has a bevel gear engaging a corresponding gear on a line shaft 88 extending lengthwise of the machine. This shaft 88 carries a series of eccentrics from which an oscillating movement is transmitted to the levers 89909192 which respectively operate the carrier guide sections 84S58G87. A description of the means for operating one of these guide sections from shaft 88 will suflice for all of ger.

fthemi' Having reference more particularly carriage 97 slidable in guides 98 on the frame, and carrying the guide section 84. The movements of the several carrier guides B L-85 86 87 are coordinated so that they take hold at the proper times to move the plungers out or in as required. The outward movement of the plungers is effected by carriers 84 85. Compression of the fruit is done by carrier 86, and expulsion of the fruit and wrappers from the formers is done by the carrier 87. Two carriers 84 85 are used to retract the plungers because the limits of the machine require retraction to take place while the carrier 4 is moving only a very short space; since the movements of carrier 4 is at right angles to the direction of movement of the carrier guide sections and as the carriers 8485 are close together, the carrier 85- simply takes up and completes the work begun by carrier 84.

On its most inward movement toward carrier 4, the section 84 moves across the path of an appraching roller 22 so that as a roller 22 comes from out the guides 54 it will pass outside of section 84. The movement c':' the latter is so timed that at the right moment it will-move outward carrying section roller 22 and the plunger with it. Meanwhile the next section 85 has been moved in to a point corresponding to the distance section 84 will reach while roller 22 is moving over it. From section 84 the roller passes on to section 85 and is moved clear out to the position shown in Fig. 3. I

With the wrapper sheet folded as before described and the plungers retracted the formers are ready to receive a charge of material to. be packaged. Any suitable means may be employed to deliver a predetermined measured quantity of material into the opening above a box 14 in advance of the plun- I have'here shown a convenient'form of feed mechanism which is adapted to receive from the weighing mechanism one pound or other predetermined quantity of material, as for instance, dried prunes, partially compress these prunes into a brick substantially of the shape of the finished package and to discharge this brick into the formers. 99 represents a feed wheel suitably mounted in relation to carrier 4, on a stationary horizontal shaft 100, see more particularly Figs. 34, 35 and 36. This feed wheel is provided with peripheral-radial pockets 101 a'lined in pairs; pairs by longitudinally slotted rods 103 r e- .ciprocate 'in these 'pockets. The rods 103 lungers 102 connected in carry each a roller 104 running upon the periphery of a stationary earn 105. The pockets are open at their outer ends and the plungers form movable bottoms for the pockets. The shaft 100 extends through the slots in the rods 103 and serves, as guide and support for the rods. The reciprocation of rods and plungers is effected by the rollers 104 and the irregular stationary cam 105 so that when an empty pocket is at the top of the wheel read to receive a charge its plunger is retracte while the diametrically opposed pocket is discharging into a formerand its plunger is moved out nearly or quite to the periphery of the wheel as shown in Fig. 35. The Wheel is turned step by step by the engagement of the rollers 18 on carrier 4 with the stops 106 on the wheel so that at each actuation a pocket is brought directly over the opening in a former in inverted position. When a pocket comes to the top of the wheel its plunger is retracted to receive a previously measured quantity of fruit. As the top of the wheel turns toward the front of the machine the filled pocket is closed by a stationary segmental wall 107 arranged concentric with and approximately tangential to the wheel. In the further revolution about the fixed cam the rollers 10 1 are pushed outward to cause the plungers 102 to compress the fruit into a brick against wall 107. As the pocket rides free of the wall 107 and arrives at a point directly over a former opening, the.

cam 105 gives the plunger a sudden movement outward to expel the fruit brick into the former. During the return of the pocket to the top of the wheel again the plunger is retracted in readiness for the next charge.

The plunger 102 serves not only to compress the fruit in the feeder but also as a pusher to deliver the charge into the hollow former or fruit receptacle 4. Thisv in fact is the principal objectof the plungers 102. Dried prunes and the like areof such a sticky and gummy character, particularly after dipping or processing which is done just before packing, that some positive means must be em loyed to dislodge them from the feeder an insure their proper deposit in the receptacle designed to receive them. The plunger or pusher coming down on the fruit in the former remains for a moment with its lower end substantially flush with the upper inner surface of the former to close the ingress opening of the former and while the horizontalplunger 20 moves across the opening to carry the material into the closed cylinder part of the former. During this initial movement of the plunger 20 across the opening, the feeder and pusher 1.02 move in unison with the former carrier.

On the receipt of a charge of material into the open top of a former, its plunger 20 is moved inwardly to carry the fruit into all the closed cylinder part of the former and there to compress it against a belt 108 running around pulleys 109 and having a plane supported by a rigid wall 110 Fig. 3 rut.- ning parallel with the direction of travel of the carrier 4. A movable stop as the belt 108 in the path of plunger 20 is used for the reason that it is not desired to tear the folded end of .the wrapper. If a rigid wall alone were used the friction on the parts would be too great. As it is the belt partakes of the same movement as the carrier 4 and compression is effected without undue friction.

When a plunger 20 is retract-ed by the guide section 85, as, before described, its roller 22 encounters an oscillating guide 111 fulcrumed intermediate of its ends as at 112 and for a space the roller 22 runs on this lever. As it passes beyond the fulcrum 112, the guide section or carrier guide 85 has brought out the next succeeding plunger and its roller 22 hitting the end of guide 111 drives the first roller in toward the carrier 1 so that as it leaves the guide 111 it will be sure to pass in front of carrier guide 86.

The oscillating guide 111 thus acts to limit the outward movement of a retracted plunger and to focus the plunger so that it will surely be carried in on the inward movement of guide 86.

It is the inward movement of carrier guide 86 that pushes the fruit into the former cylinder and up against the end of the Wrapper and the belt 108. In this position the plunger rollers 22 travel from carrier guide 86 upon a fixed. guide 113 wherefrom they are received in front of the carrier guide 87 at the discharge end of the machine.

As the former cylinder, with its outer wrapping and its compressed contents leave the support beltj108, the guide 87 is moved inwardly toward carrier 4 to push the compressed contents of the former cylinder and the paper wrapper from the cylinder, the filled wrapper now being received by a mechanism collectively designated as C Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the open end of the pack age is closed and sealed. and the finished product finally discharged ready for the market. As the earrier guide 87 moves inwardly the roller 22 encounters a projection 114 Figs. 3 am 3 on an arm 115 pivoted to the frame at 116 and carries the projection along with it. The arm 115 carries a hook 117 which is operated by a spring 118 to engage in behind a pin 119 on the under side of guide 87. When guide 87 is moved outwardly again, the pin 119 carries hook 117, arm 115 and consequently the plunger with it. The hook is released from behind the pin by the engagement of the hook with a rigid stop 120. Leaving plate 114, the retracted roller 22 passes around the rear end of the machine in suitable guides and the 

